The Delegation of the European Union to Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States has disowned a document promising compensation to people whose funds are allegedly trapped in banks and other financial institutions across West Africa.
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The EU warned members of the public that the purported compensation arrangement is fraudulent and has no connection with any of its institutions, officials or development partners.
The disclaimer followed the circulation of a document claiming to have originated from the Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union, Thérèse Blanchet.
The document allegedly announced an EU-World Bank-assisted recovery programme intended to compensate citizens of Europe and other countries who were said to have suffered from fraudulent practices involving fund transfers to Africa.
It claimed that legally transferred funds belonging to the purported beneficiaries had become trapped in banks and other financial institutions across West Africa.
The fraudulent document also alleged that the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, had been directed to supervise the compensation process and assist those seeking to recover their money.
Reacting, the EU Delegation said no such programme exists and that neither the European Union nor the World Bank had established the purported compensation arrangement described in the document.
The Delegation declared that the entire document was a scam and that all the representations contained in it were false.
“This document in its entirety is a scam. The information and claims contained therein are false. The European Union is neither aware of any such bogus programme nor part of it,” the Delegation stated.
It also disowned the email addresses and telephone number presented in the document as the official contact details of Blanchet and Mignot.
According to the Delegation, the addresses and number were fabricated and were apparently being operated by the individuals behind the fraudulent scheme.
The EU warned prospective victims not to contact the persons named in the document, provide personal or banking information, transfer money or pay any purported processing, verification or administrative fees.
It urged members of the public to disregard the document and avoid engaging with anyone claiming to represent the supposed EU-World Bank compensation programme.
The Delegation advised the public to rely exclusively on its official website and verified social media platforms for information concerning EU programmes and activities in Nigeria and the wider ECOWAS region.
The warning comes amid the increasing use of the names, titles and identities of reputable international organisations and diplomatic officials to give credibility to fraudulent financial schemes.
The EU maintained that it had not authorised any official to receive compensation claims or facilitate the recovery of purported funds trapped in West African banks.
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